Selective signaling system.



E. R. GILL. SELECTIVE SIGNALING SYSTEM. APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 28, 1010.

1,004,567. Patented Oct. 3, 1911.

WIT [JESSE 8:

LIUNI'IAED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN'B. GILL, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK,. ASSIGNOR, BY ME SNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

HOWARD E..MERRELL, OF NEW YORK, N. AND ORLO J. HAMLIN, 0F. SMETHPQRT,

PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern:

. 'Be it known that I, EDWIN R. G1LL, residing at Yonkers, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Selective Signaling Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates broadly to signaling systems, and s ecifically to such systems as .are particu arly ada ted for telephonic tra'iIi despa'tching wor One of the important objects of.the invention is to increase and vary the character of service which may be had in connection with a pair of metallic con ductors which form the opposite sides of the telephone line.

Another object is to so construct and conmeet a pair of conductors forming opposite sides of a line with a third conductor which may be ground, that selective signaling, telephone and telegra h apparatus may be operated simultaneous y and independently between distant stations without interference.

A further object is to so arrange telephone apparatus and various auxiliary devices that extraneous sounds roduced by the operation of the various e ectrical apparatus and transmitted over the conducting mediums will be prevented from interfering with the normal operation of the telephones.

Other objects willbe in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims. I

' The accompanying drawing illustrates diagrammatically preferred embodiment of my present invention.

Referring now to this drawing, A denotes a calling station and B one of various called stations which-may be arranged along a telephone line, the opposite sides of which are indicated at '1 and 2. Located, in the present instance, in brid eof this telephone line in each of the statlons A and B is a telephone apparatus denoted generally by the numerals 3 and 4- respectively, each ap- .local call signal or to .Application filed March as, 1910. Serial No. 552,054.

paratus comprising the usual transmitter, receiver, primary, secondary and receiver hook, the latter making and breaking the usual connections whereby the local batteries are applied. Condensers as at 5 and 6 are interposed in the bridge of the telephone apparatus 3 and 4.

ridges 7 and 8 of the telephone line and flanked on either side by inductance or choke coils 10 and 11 are selectors 12 and 13 respectively. Although any approved type of selective apparatus may be employed in this relation, the type preferred is that disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 906,523, issued to me December 15th,

It will be understood that when a selective apparatus of this typeis operated by a proper series of codal impulses, a circuit will be closed to effect the operation of a erform some other similar'signaling function. In the present instance, selector 12 is adapted when operated to cause contact member 14 to engage with the contact 15, thereby to close a circuit through an ordinary electric call bell 16, which circuit will hereinafter be more fully described. The selector 13, in this instance, causes the contact member 17 to engage with the contact 18 whereby a similar cir cuit hereinafter to be described is closed and the electric call bell 20 operated.

21 indicates an automatic sender key of the type illustrated in my prior' application Serial No. 451,663, filed September 4th, 1908, to which reference is made for more detailed description. It is sufiicient for the purposes of the present specification to state that this sender key apparatus is provided with a plurality of keys such as is shown at 22, each of whlch when operated is adapted through apparatus resently to be described to cause a particu or series of codal impulses inipressed upon the main line, and it will be further understood that there is a key provided for each of the various stations along the line and that selective apparatus at each station is responsive to a particular series of codal impulses which are caused to be impressed'upon the line by. the key provided for that station 1n the'calhng station.

Patented Oct. 3, 1911.

Located in As' 'shown herein, the various keys in the apparatus 21 areadapted' to close a circuit including thebattery 23, wires 24,25, 26,

' then to ground 69, inductance coil 77, bat

i l 100, switch arm 103, and the bridging wire coil 27 oftherelay, denoted generally at 28, and, wire 30fwhi'ch leads to the opposite side of the battery 23. When thejcircu'itjust .de'scribedis c10sedj-by1oneof the keys the battery 23 is; applied*thereto, relay 28 operated. andthe armature. 31 thereof caused to engage 'th' 'iiontact 32 iwhereby; the battery 33 is applied to the mainline through the inductance'coil:34. =A similarinductance coil 35 is provided :between side 2 of the line and the armature'31 of the relay 28 and a condenser 36 is interposed between the side 1 and said armature.

Each of the-selectors 12 and 13 is provided with a pair of coils 37,- 38, and 40, 41-

which in turn leads to the wire 46. Wire 46" leads to contact member 14, whence the circuit extends. through contact 15, wire 47,-

electric call bell 16, wire 48, wire 49 and wire 50 to the ground 51-. Thus it will be understood that when the selector 12 closes the circuit at 14 .and 15, the call bell 16 will be operated by the current supplied from battery 23 which is taken off intermediate the coils 37, 38 by the wire 44. The. circuit thenextends through wire 45, wire 46, contacts 14, 15, wire 47 to the call .hell 1.'6; then through wires 48, 49 and50to-ground 51,

tery 23, thence through wire 30, coil 27, wire 26, contact 105, switch arm 103, thence through the bridging wire 101 to the opposite side of the line, thence through the inductance coils 10 and 11 and coils 27 and 28. If the switch arm 103 is swung into engagement with the contact 100 another current will pass through the coil 98, contact 101 to the opposite side of the line, instead of by way of the coil 27 as has been above described. In a similar manner call bell 2O is actuated by current taken ott' from wire 43 intermediate coils 40 and 41 by wires 52, 53, contact member 17, contact member 18, wires 54, 55, 56 and ground 57.

58 denotes generally a telephone apparatus which may be located in the calling sta' tion A, and 60 similarly denotes another telephone apparatus which may be located in the called station B. Leading to the secondary of the telephone apparatus 58 is a wire-61 provided withthe contact 62, which.

when the receiver is off the hook contacts with the wire 45. Wire 61 is provided with a condenser 63 and after passing through the receiver 64and secondary is grounded to the wire 50. Connected in shunt aboutthe telephone receiver 64 is a choke coil 65 provided with an adjustable core 66, the function of the hlgh tension speaking currents to pass about the receiver, thus protecting the same v this coil being to allow currents other than against noises.

. Leading to the telephone receiver 67 the apparatus '60 is a wire 68 which makes electrical connection with the wire 52 when the receiver is ofi the hook, wire 68 passing; through the condenser 70 the receiver 67 and secondary to ground. Shunted about the receiver 67 is a wire-71 which includesanf inductance coil 72 which is provided with anadjustable core 73, the function .ofwhicli is similar to the coil65lwhic'h' has been here-.

tofore described.

' Leading from'the .wire 45 is a wire 74 pro-'1 vided with contact: member 7 5 which 00-. operates with the contact 76 .to close the circuit leading from the wire 42 intermediate 1 the coils 37, 38 to-ground. C t t ;nd,j;,j

76, when in engagement, will close acircuit 9 through ground 69 and inductance'icoil jli to actuate the relay .28 whereby-'.thebattery 33 is applied to the line and the selectors operated thereby in accordancewiththe ar-;., ticular series of codal impulses produce by...

the contacts 75 and 76. It will be under? stood that for the contact-75 and 7 6' might be substituted an automatic senderkey apparatus such as is illustrated'at 21. Simi-' larly, contacts 78 and 80 in the station B- may be actuated to close a circuit through ground which will actuate the relay 28 to' apply the battery 33 to. the line whereby the 7 selective apparatus will be operated.

I Referring to the apparatus located in the station A, 81 is a wire which leads to a relay coil 82 and leading from this coil is awire 83 which terminates in a contact member 84, and with which contact member cooperates a switch arm 85 connected with the telegraphic senderkey 86. I i

87 represents the local battery for the telegraphic apparatus and leading from this battery to the wire 50 is a wire 88, the wire 90 which leads to the battery being provided with the contact 91 which when thesender key 86 is engaged therewith, the switch arm 85 having been engaged withthe contact 84, closes a circuit through ground whlch will actuate the armature 92 of the relay 82 and also the armature 93 of the telegraphic relay 94 in station B assuming, of

course, that the tele -a hio switch arm 95 -has been engaged wit t e contact 96.

In orderthat the telegraph operator. ateither of the keys 86 or 97 may communicate telegraphically with the train despatcherin the station a relay is provided at 98, one terminal of the coil of which is connected with the wire 30, and the other terminal with a contact point 100. Located in a bridge 101 of the main line and provided with the inductance coils 102 is a switch arm 103 which is adapted to cooperate with any of the contacts 100, 104 or 105. Contact 104 is a dead contact, and contact 105 is 'con nected with a wire 106 which, in turn, is connectedwith the wire 26.

Having thus described the construction, arrangement and relation of the various instrumentalities which comprise this embodiment of my invention, the operation thereof may now be understood: When the operator in the calling station is desirous of calling one of the distant stations he simply operates one of the sender keys 22 thereby closing the circuit which operates the relay 28, as has been hereinbefore described, the armature 31 engaging the contact 32 whereby the line battery 33 is applied thereto as will be understood. A particular series of codal impulses having been impressed upon the line the selective apparatus responsive thereto is actuated, say tor instance, that located in the station B. Contact 17 is thereby caused to engage with contact 18 whereby the call bell 20 will be operated. This will 3 inform the operator in station B that the operator at 'the main line station Wishes to communicate with him and telephonic com munication will then be had by means of the telephone apparatus 3 and 4, the metallic circuit being utilized for this purpose.

When an operatorin any of the stations desires to use the telephones denoted at 58 or 60, either of the buttons 75 or 78 may be caused to engage with its cooperating contact, whereby a circuit will be closedthmugh ground to operate the relay 28 and apply the battery 33 to the line whereby the sending of the proper series of impulses will operate the selective apparatus at the station called to close the circuit through the calling signal. Telephone communication, may then be had, say between the telephone apparatus 58 and 60, the sides 1 and 2 of the line acting as a common conductor and cooperating with ground to establish the telephonic circuit.

When it is desired to utilize the system for telegraphic purposes, the station desired is called in the usual manner as by operating the contacts 75 and 76 whereby the local call signal at station B will be operated. The switch arms 85 and 95 are then operated to engage respectively with the contacts 84 and 96 whereby the telegraphic sender key 86 will be caused to operate the relay 92. The relay 94 Will thereby be operated by means of the circuit comprising sides 1 and 2 of the line as a common conductor and ground. When key 97 is operated, switches 85 and 95 having been closed, relays 82 and 94 will be operated by the following current: Beginnmg with the battery 87 through the line, when key 97, switch arm 95, contact 96, relay 94, wires 52 and 43, coils 40 and 41, coils 10 and 11, to the sides 1 and 2 of the line; thence through coils 10 and 11 of the selector in the station A, coils 37, 38, wires 42, 44, wire 81, relay 82, wire 83, contact 84, switch arm 85, key 86, wires 49 and 50 to ground; then through ound 57 and wire 56 back to battery 8 When either of the operators at keys 86 and 97 wishes to communicate with the train despatcher, a signal may be transmitted selectively which will notify the train' despatcher who will then move switch arm 103 to contact 100. This will permit relay 98 to be operated without effectin an operation of relay 28.

y the arrangement. of the various instrumentalities as above described the telephone apparatus at .two or more of the bridging stations may be in use at the same time that two or more grounded tele hones are being used without interfering wit each other. Or two or more of the brid 'ng stations may be in use and at the same tlme local grounded stations may be in telegraphic communication with each other without interfering. So also ma bridging telephones be in use while calling is going on for either of the ounded or bridging stations without inter erence. It will also be noted that when the local grounded stations are not in use the line is free from any disturbance which might arise through such grounded conditions. Any ditliculty which might be encountered by using such grounded circuits such as noises produced by induction in neighboring circuits may be substantially eliminated by providing the choke coils around the receivers 64 and 67 as heretofore described.

The train despatcher at the central office, when he wishes to control the calling, independent of the local, grounded or bridging stations, may move the switch arm 103 to contact 104, and thereby break the circuitv of the battery. through the central relay to ground thereby, making it inoperative to ground at local stations The various retard coils across the metallic air or telephone line are for preventing tie telephone sound waves from crossing. Retard. coils 102 are employed for reducing the noises reaching the telephone line through the grounded contacts and the coils 34 and 35 together with the condenser 36 are used for applying the battery pulsations to the line sllently.

The use of selectors for calling enables the operators to call each other or becalled selectively and only when the grounded circuits are in use are those circuits operative or connected with the line.

rounded stations are not in use, is always 0 ear for testing or other purposes.

In other words lectors' perform "a double function in that they operate as inductance coilsffor' the grounded circuits and reduce the noises in the telephone therein. 'further noted that since the grounded circuits are taken oil the bridge or balanced part of the selector the operation of the lat:--- 3 7 combination, 'a'linecomprlsing a terare in no wise affected,-

'A' vmanychanges could. be made-in the above construction and many apparently widely difl'erent embodiments *ofthis finvention could 'be' made without departing from the-scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in theabove description -or shown "in the accompanying drawing shall. be interpreted as illustrative and. not 'inalimitin sense.

g It is also to be understood that te language used in the followlng'claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention, which as a mat ter of language, might be said tofall therebetween.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by- Letters Patent is o 1. In a system of the class described, in combination, a line comprising a metallic pair, telephones connected therewith, means connected with said line for selectively 'calling said telephones, ground "connections common to said pair, and telephones in said ground connections.

2.. In a system of the class described, in.

'- combination, a line comprising a metallic pair, telephones connecte therewith, means connected with said line for selectively-calling said. telephones, ground connections common to said pair, telephones in said ground connection, and means in said ground connection for operating said se-.: lective calling means.

3. In a system of the class describedyin combination, a line comprising a metallicpair, aset of telephones connected therewith, ground connections common to both sides, a set of telephones in said groundconnec tions, selective calling means for the telephones in the ground set, andmeans in said ground connections for determining the operation of the selective calling means.

4. In a system of the class described,-in combination, a line comprising a pair of metallic sides, a set of telephones connected therewith, ground connections common to both sides of the line, a set of telephones in said ground ,connections,Ia common means [be simultaneously independentl .6 lniasystem oflthe class escribed, in'

communicative, and means for calling the telephones of each set.

nectio'ns and said telegraphic with said line," said telephones,---ground connections for said N gline, telephones 1n saidground connect-ions, And it should be and meanszwhereby said last mentioned telephones andsaidselective calling means may operated.

pair of metallic sides, a set. of telephones connected respective sets may be independently. interselectively 7.- In asystem of-the class described, in

-' metallic sides, a, set' of telephones connected means for selectivelycalling .withysaid'line, ground connections for said I line, means whereby the telephones of said combinatioma line comprising a pair of metallic sides, asetof telephones connected with said line, ground qponnections for said line, means wherebythe telephones of said respective sets maybe independently intercommunicative, means for selectively calling the telephones ofeach set, and means 00- operating with said line and said'ground connections for determining the operation of said selective callingmeans. I

8.-In a system of the class described, in combination, a line comprising a pair tallic sides, telephone apparatus connected with said line, a plurality of ground-con nections common to the opposite sides of said line,-telephones in' each ofsaid ground connections, selectivecalling means for said telephones connected to the opposite sides of said line, and independent means co of meoperating with said line and with said ground connection for determining the op- I eration of said selective calling n 1eans.

9.- In a system of the class descr bed, in combination a line comprising a pair of metallic sides, a set of telephones connected with. said line, ground connections for said '.line,,telephon1c and telegraphic apparatus in saidjground connections and operable.

thereover'fofone side of the circuit, and means whereby telephone apparatus. connected with said line',"=?wi 't -h said ground conbe independently 'operated. z 10, .Ina'system of the .icl'ass described, in combination, a line comprising a pair'of metallic sides, telephone apparatus connected with said line," a

lurality of ground con- 'ne'ctions, telegra'p ic apparatus in said ground connectlons' and operable thereover apparatus may for one side-of the circuit, and meanswhereby said telephones and said telegraphic apparatus maybe independently operated.

11. Ina system of the class described, in combination, a line comprising a pair of metallicsides, telephone apparatus connected with said line, a lurality of ground con nections, telegra ic apparatus in said. round connections and operable thereoveror one side of the c rcuit, and means whereby said telephones and'said telegraphic apparatus may be independently simultaneously operated.

12. In an apparatus of the class described, in combination, a line comprising a pair of metallic sides,'telephone apparatus connected with said line, selective calling apparatus connected with said line, means cooperating with said line for determining the operation of said selective calling apparatus, ground connections from the sides of said line, tele graphic apparatus in said ground connections, and means in said ground connections for determining the operation of said selective calling means.

. 13. In a system of the class. described, in combination, a line comprising a pair of metallic sides, a set of telephones in bridge of said line, a set of selective calling devices in bridge of said line, a connection forming a bridge between the opposite sides of said line and ground, and a set of telephones in said last named bridge connections.

14. In a system of theclass described, in combination, a line comprising a pair of metallic sides, a set of telephones in bridge of said line, a set of selective calling devices in bridge of said line, a connection forming a bridge between the opposite sides of said line and ground, a set of telephones in said last named bridge connection, and means in said bridge connections for determining the operation of said selective calling apparatus.

15. In a system of the class described, in combination, a line comprising a pair of opposed metallic sides, a set of telephones connected with said line, ground connections for said line common to the opposite sides thereof, telegraphic apparatus located in said ground connections and operable thereover for one side of the circuit, and means whereby said telephonic and telegraphic apparatus may be independently simultaneously operated.

16. In a system of the class described, in combination, a line comprising a pair of metallic sides, selective calling apparatus connected with the opposite sides of said line, connections'between the opposite sides of said line and the ground, telegraphic apparatus in said ground connections, telephones-connected with said line, and means I whereby said telegraphic apparatus and said selective calling apparatus may be independentlyv simultaneously operated.

17. In a system of the class described, in

combination, a' line comprising a pair of metallic sides, telephonic apparatus connected with said line, selective signaling means connected with said line, a plurality of normally open connections between said line and ground including telephonic and telegraphic apparatus, said selective apparatus being adapted to effect a closure of said. connections.

18. In a system of the class described, in combination, a line comprising a pair of metallic sides, a plurality of telephones connected with said line, a plurality of normally open connections between said line and ground, telephonic apparatus in said connections, and selecting'means for closing said connections 19. In a system of the class described, in combination, a line comprising a pair of metallic sides, a pl'l'lrality of telephones connected with said line, a plurality of normally open connections between said line and ground, telephonic apparatus in said connections, and means fol-selectively closing said connections. x

20. Ina system of the class described, in combination, a line comprising a pair of metallic sides, a selector comprising a pair of coils connected in a normally closed bridge of said line, a wire connecting said coils, a connection leading from said wire to ground, and telephones in said connection.

21. In a system of the class described, in combination, a line comprising a pair of metallic sides, a selector'comprising a pair of coils, a wire connecting said coils, a normally open connection between said wire and ground, and telephones and a local call signal in said connection, sald connection being adapted to-be closed by the operation of said EDWIN R. GILL.

Witnesses CHARLES N. SIGISON, ESTHER A. IIENNESEY..

Copies of this patsnt may be obtainedfor five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

